From high street brands to runways, camouflage print has been a staple in fashion for years. Last year, the Indian Army unveiled a new combat uniform featuring a different camouflage design. Now, the Army has obtained Intellectual property Rights (IPR) of this camouflage pattern for 10 years, extendable by another five years. While the usage of this new camouflage pattern will remain exclusive to the Army, designers say that camo print in general will continue to be a staple in fashion. It is also predicted to be one of the bestselling trends for the summer season.
Says designer Kunal Rawal, who has developed 20 different versions of camo print in his career, “With so many designers working on it globally, camo print has never been out of trend. This summer, we will see a lot of camo prints again, with different patterns and colours.”

‘Camouflage’s versatility has kept it evergreen’

The camo print is seen everywhere from the red carpet to high-street fashion. Designers attribute its popularity to its versatility. “With trendy silhouettes and innovative takes on the classic prints, camouflage has truly withstood the test of time. We have been working with camouflage print for over a decade now. From The Cabinet Mission in 2015 to Dawn, our most recent collection, we’ve been constantly experimenting with camouflage print. We have often drawn inspiration from our nation’s power uniforms and camouflage became a very important aesthetic for us. One of our most iconic ramp looks has to be the camouflage print ball gown from The Regiment ’17,” says designer Shantanu Mehra.

“I come from an Army background and have grown up looking at the camouflage print all around me. I designed a collection inspired by the Army as an ode to their service to the nation. Be it a T-shirt or a dress, nothing can really go wrong with the camouflage print. It is a fashion statement,” adds designer Ritu Beri.

From cargos and ganjis to gowns and suits – reinvention of camo over the years

While casual wear like cargos and ganjis remain to be the most preferred when it comes to camo prints, it has also been worn as gowns and suits on runways. “Camo’s versatility makes it easy to pair with a wide variety of outfits. We have even seen it on traditional Indian attire like kurtas. I have used camo prints in my suits. The idea is to play with colours and keep experimenting when it comes to these prints,” says designer Karrtik Dhingra. Designer Narendra Kumar, who experimented with shades of lavender in camo, says, “The idea was to present it in a way to make it more appealing to the youth.”